


Holidays

by chaekmate (usernamewhatamidoing)



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 10:13:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11273391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usernamewhatamidoing/pseuds/chaekmate
Summary: Somewhere between brainstorming menus and sneaking in through propped windows, she forgot what it was like to feel the sun.Or: Chaeyoung really should quit her job (her night job or her day job, she wasn’t exactly certain), but is torn between the town she loves and the person who loves her. (Loose song fic for Holidays, by Lydia)





	Holidays

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes I feel like my fics are just monstrosities that get progressively worse the more you read, (and like, all the things in my fics feel so arbitrary but sometimes I get a decent train of thought) xD. Anyway, light(?) angst, fair warning- but I mean- I'm a sucker for happy endings.

Shifting her weight from foot to foot, she tried to focus through blurred space as loud cheers blended into white noise. 

Doubling back, she clenched her jaw tightly before swinging her right fist forward- bearing down on her mouth guard hoping to feel the contact. 

A swing and a miss, she barely had a moment to right herself before something collided with her jaw, effectively knocking her down onto the scratchy mat below. 

The lights blinded her momentarily as her head lolled back and forth, eyes unable to bring anything into focus. 

A faint ding was heard, a towel was thrown at her face, and the feeling of sticky warmth rushing down her face tore her out of the daze enough to be pulled up. 

Groggily, she was dragged into the back and thrown unceremoniously onto the cold metal bench. 

Closing her already swollen eyes, she tilted her head back and groaned. 

“That’s the third time this week, if this keeps up I’m gonna have to stop taking bets on her.” 

“She usually isn’t like this, it’s just an off week. You understand, this Thursday- she’ll be back to her old self I promise you.”

“She better, or else she’s out for good. Not like we need another upstart in this place anyway.” 

Waiting for the telltale sounds of scurrying footsteps and the jingle of tools, she pried one eye open in time to see a blurred third figure enter the room as the other two made their way out.

“Gentlemen,” The voice spoke before moving inside to where she sat in a slumped heap. 

Feeling warm hands gently cradle her face, she smiled and hummed out of contentment. 

“Long time no see,” she let out lowly, only flinching slightly as a cloth was used to dab at her face. 

“Don’t start,” the figure spoke in an annoyed tone. 

“What? Can’t I converse with my favorite medic?” She all but slurred out. 

“Chaeyoung, behave.” The figure tugged a bit harder at her to twist to the right. “And last time I checked, I’m the only one patching you up.” 

“Does that make you available for a house call later Ms. Myoui?” 

“If you want me to set your nose right, I would suggest you never try that line again.” 

“Sorry.” 

// 

"Why don't you ever come watch my matches?"

"Why would I when I can just see the end result?" 

"True, but still, they're pretty riveting." 

"I can imagine." 

(She smiled but would never let Mina know she always knew she was watching from the entrance). 

//

As gratifying as boxing was for her- bringing her a steady income was not something she had the luxury of receiving.

“You look like hell. Rough night?”

“Something like that.”

“Good thing you’re back here, you’d probably scare all the customers away.” Jeongyeon laughed jokingly from the stove. 

“Everyone loves me, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Yeah, sure, whatever floats your boat.”

Taking a glance at the recipe, she started the tedious task of slicing all the ingredients for the dinner rush and wrapping them for later that night. 

This recipe in particular she created after drinking a little too much of Dahyun's special brew and a night of too little sleep. 

(Being a combination of avocado, spicy mustard, bacon and mushrooms over romaine lettuce, you'd think it would be, well, questionable and unsavory).

(She liked to think it was ingenious and one of the best dishes she'd ever created). 

//

"Sometimes I think you're high when you make these things."

"But it's good right?" A hum of confirmation was heard as she watched Mina take another forkful to her mouth.

"Then that's all that matters." 

//

She had a routine, one that she hardly strayed from - which would have been a totally acceptable excuse if it wasn't just a lie she told herself so she wouldn't feel so bad about neglecting her responsibilities.

If she were being honest the only things she really cared about were cooking, boxing, and Mina.

(Not in that order). 

And it wasn't like she was lazy, she just felt unproductive when she looked at everyone else in comparison to herself. 

But she was content because she had a decent apartment, jobs she loved, and an amazing girlfriend. 

What more could she want?

(Alright, maybe a free pass to get out going to yet another baby shower because she was slowly going broke, but that was it). 

"Thank you so much for coming Chaeyoung!" The woman, Misun she remembers, comes up to greet her. "I haven't seen you in forever, how have you been?"

"Oh, good, and yourself?"

"Great! Decided to come back and settle down here because why not right? I truly missed this place." 

"Yeah, it is pretty great." Chaeyoung smiled earnestly, appraising the sprawling backyard at which the party was being hosted. 

"Have you met my husband Yejun? I think he was in your class." 

Watching the woman search for her husband, Chaeyoung was prompted to take another large sip of her drink before sneaking away to find a place to sit. 

She really had no desire to talk with Yejun- if she recalled correctly she had once told him off using rather colorful language for stealing her brownie in sixth grade. 

But that was one of the things she loved about the town- _her_ town. 

The small community, the ability to recognize each and every person you encounter- the image of the ideal suburban dream. 

(She would never admit it but she probably found it more attractive than it ought to have been). 

//

The first time she met Mina was right after she had graduated high school. 

She was up to her usual shenanigans and had gotten caught by some unamused adults- leaving her to sprint away from the scene as quickly as her feet would carry her all while slicing her hand open because she decided that climbing over a barb wired fence was a smart idea. 

"That doesn't look good, are you ok?" 

Shifting her head to the side, she blinked at the figure who was staring right back at her in bewilderment.

Under the flickering blue fluorescent lights of the gas station bathroom, Chaeyoung was left breathless because a literal _angel_ had appeared. 

(There were two types of people you could encounter at such a place, she had decided. People like her, and people like Myoui Mina- she really didn't think it was possible to have the two coexisting in the same place at the same time- and yet there they stood).

"Umm, yes? I mean, no, no it's not- good."

"Do you want me to look at it? I have some first aid experience." 

"I mean, if it isn't too much trouble." 

//

"How are we looking for tonight kid, you think you can actually finish a round?" 

"Of course, let me at 'em coach." She mockingly saluted, earning her a hard slap to the back of the head.

"I didn't take you in to be a smart-mouth, be warmed up, you go out in ten." 

Nodding she continued her exercises in preparation for her last fight of the week.

Though her coach gave her a lot of grief, she owed a lot to him. 

Taking her out of pitiful street fights and training her to be an actual boxer was probably one of the best things that happened to her. 

The discipline was good for her, and her success at the sport gave her image a shine that all the locals flocked to. 

That was her, Son Chaeyoung, the shortstop rookie who was bringing fame to their even smaller nook of the world. 

(No longer the troublemaker of the year- she supposed people enjoyed the change up). 

(She would admit the attention and semi-fame wasn't too bad either). 

And by no means was she famous on the professional circuit or anything, but if you got your name in the town newsletter, then you were considered something special. 

(She wasn't sure how her winning fifteen consecutive fights and the county growing the largest cucumber to date was related, but both were obviously important enough to garner side by side columns on the front page that Fall).

//

After the fight she was tired, but not tired enough to skip out on Thursday night date night. 

(It was a tradition they had continued since they started seeing each other because- _"why not Thursday, Friday is overrated"_ ). 

Stealthily making her way across town, she went on foot up to the back the house addressed 437 and paced under the window- watching intently as a light flickered on and a silhouette appeared. 

Hearing the slide of the window, she smiled and quietly pulled herself up to the ledge enough to lean over and roll inside seamlessly

"I'll never get over how ridiculous you look when you do that." Mina giggled at her as she laid sprawled out on the floor.

"And I'll never get tired of doing it." She smiled widely right back and gestured for the other to join her on the ground.

"Remember we have to be quiet, my parent just fell asleep."

"We're in our mid twenties, do you think they'd really care?" She laughed out until Mina gave her the look.

"It's not my choice and you know it."

Frowning and nodding quickly, she sat up to take Mina's hand in what was supposed to be a soothing move. 

"I know. I'm sorry," she whispered before leaning into connect their lips.

//

As much as she hated to say it, there were also _downsides_ (few and far between, but still, present) to living in a small town. 

Firstly, the town seemed to be awfully xenophobic, even for the twenty-first century.

(Chaeyoung was pretty certain it was just because accepting new people was always hard and that people would come around eventually). 

(Mina just shook her head and rolled her eyes, but never had the heart to correct her). 

Secondly, the town was extremely old fashioned and conservative.

Meaning that being in a relationship with a girl- a foreign girl- would have been a double whammy. 

And so it was a unanimous decision between the two of them to keep their relation under wraps indefinitely. 

Was she proud of having to hide? No, of course not. She hated the feeling of having to sneak around everyone and pretend she was someone she wasn't. 

But at the same time, she felt it. 

She felt that dread when it came to change.

She understood what change meant- how scary it was to think that there were some things in life you had no control over and just simply had to let them happen.

She understood how that felt, and while she obviously was against such exclusionary (and bigoted) practices, she could never bring herself to challenge people on such issues. 

(She had foolish faith that sooner or later, the people of the town she loved so much would come around and they could stop hiding themselves away from the world). 

(She had foolish faith that someone as bright as Mina could be kept in the dark for so long). 

//

Night time became one of her favorite times. 

Maybe it was the ambience of when the fireflies that would come out, or maybe it was the crispness of the air as they laid underneath a cloudless sky and star gazed, either way- the night became her haven. It was like, having her cake and eating too.

"How was the hospital?" She spoke quietly despite knowing no one else was listening. 

(Old habits die hard). 

"Ok, nothing real interesting." Mina replied, playing with her fingers in the darkness. "How was the restaurant." 

"Good. I think people will like this new Summer breakfast menu, it's- hip." 

"Hip?"

"Yeah. It's got salmon and cream cheese bagels and mimosas."

"Whatever you say." Mina heaved out an amused laugh and nuzzled her face closer to her own.

A silence fell between them as they collectively enjoyed the cool breeze that brushed over them. 

"What are you thinking about?" Chaeyoung asked, linking the hands together and resting them atop her chest. 

"You." 

"Just me?" 

"You, the future, us." 

"What about us?" 

"Just, this." Mina breathed, pressing a light kiss to the side of her neck. "I wish it was always like this. Just us, no one else. Nowhere to be, no one to worry about."

"Yeah. Me too." 

//

They say opposites attract, but she would disagree.

Mina and her weren't opposites, they were just different. 

They were both motivated, but in different ways.

They both were successful, but in different ways.

Both appreciated the town, but in different ways.

(While Chaeyoung _loved_ it, Mina just _liked_ it). 

It probably had to do with the fact that it was where Chaeyoung was born and raised, the place where she fell in love with cooking and found a catharsis in boxing- the place where she fell in love with Mina. 

She had always imagined herself living there her entire life. 

In recent years, she imagined purchasing the two story house that sat on the corner of fifth and thirtieth street that had been vacant for years- to fix it up and settling down with a little family of her own.

(Ideally, she imaged Mina by her side, but she hadn't accounted for what would happen if the latter wasn't there). 

//

It shouldn't have surprised her but- well, she was always a little dense when it came to things like this. 

When Mina had called her in the middle of the day when she was cleaning the grill, she new something was up, and so she ran as quickly as she could to her house- taking the stairs two at a time.

"W-what's wrong?" She asked, out of breath as she stared at Mina who's scrubs were covered in what looked like puke. 

The only response she received was a frustrated huff while Mina continued shoving clothes from the open drawer into a duffle bag on the bed. 

"Mina, what are you doing?" 

"Do you know what this is?" Mina finally turned to face her with tired eyes, pointing to the practically fermenting stain on her chest.

"Um-"

"It's vomit. From multiple people."

"Oh-" 

"-and, I know for a fact that Mr. Park hadn't eaten anything since yesterday, so that really was just so convenient for him, wasn't it." 

"I-"

"Listen," Mina interrupted her again, taking a deep breath and zipping the bag closed, "I just- I can't." 

"Mina? What's wrong?" She moved forward, biting back the sinking feeling in her stomach. 

A bitter laugh erupted from Mina as she slung the bag over her shoulder. "Chaeyoung, look at me. Look at me and tell me what you see." 

"I see, you..." She shook her head, eyes pleading for an answer. 

"I'm a nurse, Chaeyoung. Not even a certified one, just one in “title” because no one at that hospital will acknowledge that I'm good at what I do."

"I know you are." 

"I have a four year degree and I can't do anything with it. I just- I got an offer. A good one, one that actually gives me a livable salary."

"But, it's not here, is it." 

"No. It's in the city."

"But that's an hour away." She dead panned. 

"Yeah. But I can't not take it, they said they would employ me as a nurse, and if I stayed on for two years, they would consider paying for me to go back to medical school."

"That was always your dream, to become a doctor." She said resignedly. 

"Yeah. It was- is." 

Nodding numbly, she tried to get a handle on the situation. "So then, just like that? You're leaving?" 

"It's not- Chaeyoung, please. Look at us." Mina shook her head. "This- hiding away and pretending it's ok? This isn't a healthy relationship."

"You said you were ok with it." She fired back weakly. 

(She guessed she had always been the weaker one in the relationship).

"Sure I did. I loved you- I still love you. But, I think- I'm holding you back."

"What does that even mean!" She cried, moving closer as Mina moved further away. 

"I don't want to make you choose, Chaeyoung. You know I would never make you do that."

"I can't- Mina." She choked.

"I know," Mina finally met her in the middle of the room to cup her cheek- leaning in pressing a kiss to her lips with a finality that she hated. "I know." 

//

Mina leaves, and her world doesn't fall apart like in the movies.

(Possibly because it feels worse than that worse- because it feels like the world doesn't exist at all without the other which sounded so melodramatic when it really wasn't). 

And so to distract herself, she threw herself into work.

She trained harder than she had in years- taking on a fight a night, only slowing after she got herself beaten into unconsciousness by some maniac from the town below them.

(It certainly wasn't because she was waiting for Mina to show up afterwards to clean her up). 

She also threw herself into making new recipes everyday. 

(But it didn't feel the same, pitching the ideas to Dahyun or Jeongyeon)

//

It couldn't have been more than three days after that she sat down on the stoop of her apartment, and look out at the town, truly looked at it. 

She would admit, she made a mistake. 

She would admit, that maybe she was caught up in the reverie of it all.- that she had romanticized a town that maybe never really was there. 

(Maybe it wasn't the town that was afraid of change- but her). 

Somewhere between brainstorming menus and sneaking in through propped windows, she forgot what it was like to feel the sun. 

(She forgot what it was like living without fear). 

//

"Excuse me, ma'am, is there someone by the name of Mina, Myoui Mina here?" 

"Yes, she just took a patient out, would you like to leave a message for her?" 

"Um- no. Thank you though." 

Walking out of the automated doors, she hung her head low and sighed- opting to sit on a bench across from the hospital, nervously (hopefully) waiting for Mina to return. 

"Chaeyoung?" A voice questions some hours later, making her jump in her seat. 

"M-Mina." She stutters as she scrambles to stand up.

"I-"

"No, just- wait." She says, holding a hand up. "Before you say anything I need to get this out." 

Seeing Mina nod, she continued. 

"I was, stupid. I was- selfish, and, I didn't see how unhappy our relationship had become because I was too busy focusing on myself, and not us. And I didn't realize it until you knocked some sense into me by leaving, but, I see now that place wasn't all it was cracked up to be."

"Chaeyoung, I'm just as much at fault as you are. I could have communicated better to you, but, I just know how much you love your home." 

"No, no I- I love you." She blushed while pulling Mina in for a hug. "And I- would do anything for you to accept me back." 

Feeling arm encircle her shoulder she sighed in relief. "I never let you go."

And finally, she thinks, she realized that feeling that boxing and cooking could only ever temporarily fulfill- finally found where she belonged. 

Maybe, it wasn't about _where_ things happened. 

Maybe, home wasn't a place, and maybe it wasn't even a feeling. 

Maybe, she thought, home was in the people you surround yourself with. 

(As she tightened her hold on Mina, she knew she was right). 


End file.
